A to Z Challenge - Favourite Books - The Enchanted April

Enchanted April, by Elizabeth von Arnim.

"Eager to escape the dreary February rains of 1920s London, four women agree to rent the small medieval castle of San Salvatore for a much-needed vacation on the Italian Riviera, and each in turn is seduced and changed by the special place."
Sounds like such a simple premise... I've just discovered that The Enchanted April is available on Gutenberg! No need for me to tell you any more about it, you can read the lovely sweet story for yourself.

I was in my teens when I first read this book, and I've stayed in love with it all these years all for this paragraph:
"Rose clasped her hands tight round her knees. How passionately she longed to be important to somebody again--not important on platforms, not important as an asset in an organization, but privately important, just to one other person, quite privately, nobody else to know or notice. It didn't seem much to ask in a world so crowded with people, just to have one of them, only one out of all the millions, to oneself. Somebody who needed one, who thought of one, who was eager to come to one--oh, oh how dreadfully one wanted to be precious!

All the morning she sat beneath the pine-tree by the sea. Nobody came near her. The great hours passed slowly; they seemed enormous. But she wouldn't go up before lunch, she would give the telegram time to arrive..."
Actually, I think that this quote is the reason I love to write romance.

Comments

Zan Marie said…
There's a link to the books that kindled the desire to write, isn't there? Good post as always.
JennaQuentin said…
I've seen the film - thanks for telling me there's a book! Very sweet paragraph.
It sounds delightful! Thanks for including the excerpt.
Steve MC said…
I'm not big on romance (actually it's more like I haven't given it a try), but that's a great excerpt.

"...nobody else to know or notice."
Anne Gallagher said…
I've heard about this book from time to time and I will download it henceforth.

Thanks for sharing. It sounds fab.
I've heard of the book. And wasn't it a movie? Your posts are making me feel illiterate!
Angela Brown said…
Thanks for the mention of this novel. The excerpt is especially poignant, her need to be loved, craved and desired by that ONE spills from the words.
S.P. Bowers said…
Just downloaded it. I love project Gutenberg!
Peggy Eddleman said…
That sounds like such an amazing story! Those snippets are incredible.
Rekha said…
The snippet is so poignant. Would love to read it someday. The clip art site is a public domain collection -
http://www.reusableart.com/v/Alphabets_Letters/
Hi Deniz .. wonderful evocative paragraphs .. they always anticipated time in those days and allowed for its vagaries .. sounds a wonderful book ..

Came over via Nutschell .. cheers Hilary
I like the idea of living in a castle, because then it'd be like living in a fairy tale or something.
Jemi Fraser said…
I hadn't heard of that one before. Sounds like a lovely story - one of those that stay with you. :)
Hi Deniz,

It sounds delightful! Thanks for including the excerpt.

Riya
Unknown said…
Not my cup of tea, but I love the sound of the setting.


Jamie Gibbs
Fellow A-Z buddy
Mithril Wisdom
Melanie M. said…
Sounds interesting. I'm going to check it out. I swear my TBR list has NEVER!! been this long. Loving your A-Z list.

Melanie
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks everyone! I guess there's a reason this book - and the movie - have touched so many. That paragraph has lingered with me for years!
Trisha said…
Yep! Adding all these to my TBR ;) oh dear, it's getting even longer!
Deniz Bevan said…
Mine is too, Trisha! All these A-Z posts for inspiration...